News and random thoughts about the happenings in the worlds of sci-fi, fantasy, comic books, movies, and television.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Too much Logan?

It’s an old question. Can you have too much of a good thing?
If the recent information about the latest X-Men film is to be believed, Days
Of Future Past will be five of six films where Wolverine is the lead character.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. I am a fan of the character in every
incarnation, comic, film, and animated. Logan is a popular character and Hugh
Jackman has done a very good job bringing him to life. But increasingly, the
theme of the films seems to have become Wolverine and the X-Men instead of the
X-Men.

Days of Future Past is a popular and influential storyline
in the X-Men comics. It’s a very good story which I enjoy re-reading from time
to time. And Wolverine was just a part of the ensemble. In the upcoming film,
Wolverine will apparently be sent into the past to stop an assassination that
will usher in an apocalyptic future where mutants are imprisoned and hunted. In
the comic the character tasked to save the day is Kittie Pryde. I was excited
when Days Of Future Past was announced as the next film partially because again
this story is s favorite of mine, but also it would give one of my favorite
actresses, Ellen Page, a chance to be lead in an action franchise. And lets
face it, there have not been many successful action movies with female leads. I
understand why wolverine will be the center of the action, but it is a missed
opportunity.

For now, I am still anticipating a great film. I admire
Jackman and I expect he will deliver another great performance. It should be
difficult for Days Of Future Past to not be good with the size and caliber of
the cast not including Jackman. And we can at least hope that more characters
in the X universe will get their own films to expand on this mutant filled
world.